2009 FIBA Oceania Championships

[Saskibaloia2]

Boomers squad named
Fri, 14 Aug 2009 2:05 PM
By Basketball Australia

Australia’s men’s basketball team will undergo a training camp at The Kings School in Parramatta next week to prepare for the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship against New Zealand.

The Boomers will play the Tall Blacks at 6:00pm on Sunday August 23 at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre before heading to Wellington for the second and final match on August 25 to determine seeding at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

Australia’s squad has been strengthened by the return of Olympian Brad Newley, who together with his Beijing team mates Joe Ingles and Mark Worthington will form the experienced core of the team.

Dallas Mavericks power forward Nathan Jawai provides a formidable inside presence while Sudanese-born Australian Ater Majok will experience his first taste of Boomers culture after his first national call up.

Majok, a 208cm refugee from Sudan who lived in Egypt before moving to Australia with his family in 2000, will suit up for the University of Connecticut in the United States later this year.

Boomers Head Coach Brett Brown will select the Boomers team to take on New Zealand after the conclusion of the camp.

“Everything we have done so far in the 2009 program comes down to this series against New Zealand,” Brown said.

“We have gotten progressively better during our tours of China and South America but the Kiwis have announced an experienced team and we’ll have to be ready.”

Tickets for the Sydney match are still available through Ticketek or the Basketball Australia website, www.basketball.net.au

Australian Boomers squad for Sydney Camp Aug 18-22

Name / Most recent college or pro team / Junior Association / Age / Height

Aron BAYNES / Washington State University (USA) / Cairns, QLD / 22 / 208cm
Jason CADEE / Australian Institute of Sport / Bankstown, NSW / 18 / 185cm
Peter CRAWFORD / Townsville Crocodiles / Mt. Isa, QLD / 29 / 193cm
Matthew DELLAVEDOVA / Australian Institute of Sport / Maryborough, VIC / 18 / 189cm
Oscar FORMAN / New Zealand Breakers (NZ) / Sturt, SA / 27 / 206cm
Adam GIBSON / Gold Coast Blaze / Launceston, TAS / 22 / 188cm
James HARVEY / Gold Coast Blaze / Perry Lakes, WA / 30 / 196cm
Joe INGLES / CB Granada (Spain) / Southern, SA / 21 / 203cm
Nathan JAWAI / Dallas Mavericks (NBA - USA) / Cairns, QLD / 22 / 208cm
Ater MAJOK / University of Connecticut (NCAA - USA) / Macarthur, NSW / 22 / 208cm
Aleks MARIC / KK Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) / North Sydney, NSW / 24 / 211cm
Damian MARTIN / Sydney Spirit / Gloucester, NSW / 24 / 188cm
Brad NEWLEY / Besiktas (Turkey) / Forestville, SA / 24 / 199cm
Luke NEVILL / University of Utah (NCAA - USA) / Stirling, WA / 23 / 218cm
A.J. OGILVY / Vanderbilt University (NCAA - USA) / Hills, NSW / 21 / 210cm
Liam RUSH / Sundsvall Dragons (Sweden) / Broome, QLD / 27 / 198cm
Stephen WEIGH / Perth Wildcats / Rockhampton, QLD / 22 / 202cm
Mark WORTHINGTON / Melbourne Tigers / Bunbury, WA / 26 / 202cm

Average age: 23 years 5 months
Average height: 200cm (6’6”)

Head Coach: Brett Brown (San Antonio Spurs, NBA - USA)
Assistant Coach: Andrej Lemanis (New Zealand Breakers)
Assistant Coach: Shane Heal
Assistant Coach: Marty Clarke (Australian Institute of Sport)
Manager: Nic Mercer

BOOMERS KEY DATES AT A GLANCE:

Aug 18-22 Camp 3 – Sydney, NSW
Aug 23 FIBA Oceania Championship Game 1, AUS v NZ, Sydney
Aug 25 FIBA Oceania Championship Game 2, AUS v NZ, Wellington
Aug 28-31 Stankovic Cup, Kunshan, China (AUS v Turkey, Angola, China: 4 games)

The Aussies have been quick in selecting their squad.

GO AUSTRALIA!!!!

 

[donmar2]

Go the Tall Blacks!!!

 

[b3lowzro2]

no Papua New Guinea or other small countries here?

 

[Dtown2]

no Papua New Guinea or other small countries here?

Nope, 5th straight tournament where it's just the two teams. To my knowledge there's never been a tourney with 4 or more teams.

 

[donmar2]

Yup only Australia and New Zealand in a two-game series... sometimes its three-game series... last time they have a third team was with Fiji...

This championship is just for the seeding for next year's World Championship... since both already qualified... but this is not about next year's World Champs... its about the Trans-Tasman rivalry between the Aussies and the Kiwis... regardless of sports codes... these two countries will fight for pride and Trans-Tasman superiority...

Australia is the favourites in my opinion... with NBL calibers in their line-up but the Kiwis has the NBL MVP... either way, I got no problem who finish on top... I'm a big fan of the NBL and this is pretty much an all-star game for me...

 

[b3lowzro2]

hmm I guess fiba should do something for this even if those countries are rugby die hard fans

 

[donmar2]

Small countries in Oceania just doesn't have the financial capabilities to maintain their national basketball teams.. and most of the Pacific Island countries prefer football (Solomon Islands) or rugby league (Papua New Guinea) or rugby union (Fiji, Samoa, Tonga) than basketball... and I think FIBA doesn't see any financial benefits from those countries... so they're pretty much content of Australia and New Zealand as the only competitors in Oceania...

 

[Saskibaloia2]

Small countries in Oceania just doesn't have the financial capabilities to maintain their national basketball teams.. and most of the Pacific Island countries prefer football (Solomon Islands) or rugby league (Papua New Guinea) or rugby union (Fiji, Samoa, Tonga) than basketball... and I think FIBA doesn't see any financial benefits from those countries... so they're pretty much content of Australia and New Zealand as the only competitors in Oceania...

I'll second that. However, if the French Basketball Federation put more support to their French outpost (New Caledonia) I am confident that eventually they would be competitive. I still remember back in 2003 or 2004 there were 5 or so New Caledonians playing in the lower French basketball leagues all of whom were eligible to compete for New Caledonia since one of their parents were born or originated from there according to oceaniabasket.com (Oceania branch of Eurobasket.com)

In my opinion, the lower French league as many of you would know are quite competitive though not as good as the Australian NBL but I'm confident maybe as good as the New Zealand NBL (feel free to correct me donmar). Therefore, if the New Caledonians had fielded a team back then, maybe a few surprises MIGHT have occured.

However, currently basketball according to oceaniabasket.com is still struggling in New Caledonia as football is still king followed by cricket and ruguby as well as other sports.

Hopefully, basketball will grow in New Caledonia or in any country in the region in order for a stronger FIBA Oceania.

Yup only Australia and New Zealand in a two-game series...

Ain’t we lucky

This championship is just for the seeding for next year's World Championship... since both already qualified... but this is not about next year's World Champs... its about the Trans-Tasman rivalry between the Aussies and the Kiwis... regardless of sports codes... these two countries will fight for pride and Trans-Tasman superiority...

This rivalry is definitely intense. Whenever an Australian team looses to any Kiwi (New Zealand) team of any sporting code, those blokes or sheilas (guys or girls in Australian English) are put to shame! It is okay for us Aussies to loose to the South Africans but NEVER to the Kiwis! Thus, in 2001 FIBA Oceania series when the Aussies lost to the Tall Blacks for the very first time, the coach (Phil Smyth) was fired immediately. However, if there were an Aussie, a Kiwi and a group of Yanks or Poms in a pub (bar) you’d bet that the Aussie and Kiwi would be more than happy to watch each other’s back. It’s a love-hate relationship.

Australia is the favourites in my opinion... with NBL calibers in their line-up but the Kiwis has the NBL MVP... either way, I got no problem who finish on top... I'm a big fan of the NBL and this is pretty much an all-star game for me...

On top of that some of the Aussies in the squad are playing overseas as well.

 

[donmar2]

I'll second that. However, if the French Basketball Federation put more support to their French outpost (New Caledonia) I am confident that eventually they would be competitive. I still remember back in 2003 or 2004 there were 5 or so New Caledonians playing in the lower French basketball leagues all of whom were eligible to compete for New Caledonia since one of their parents were born or originated from there according to oceaniabasket.com (Oceania branch of Eurobasket.com)

In my opinion, the lower French league as many of you would know are quite competitive though not as good as the Australian NBL but I'm confident maybe as good as the New Zealand NBL (feel free to correct me donmar). Therefore, if the New Caledonians had fielded a team back then, maybe a few surprises MIGHT have occured.

However, currently basketball according to oceaniabasket.com is still struggling in New Caledonia as football is still king followed by cricket and ruguby as well as other sports.

Hopefully, basketball will grow in New Caledonia or in any country in the region in order for a stronger FIBA Oceania.

I don't know much about French leagues... New Zealand NBL. on the other hand, is kinda improving because aside from the Kiwi NBL players and American Imports, some Australian NBL players who did not go to play in Europe for the off-season crosses the ditch and played here... it sort of started two years ago by about a couple of Aussies (one of them is Luke Martin), then last year about 3-5 of them (including Adam Bellenger) and now, theres about more than 5 Aussies and it help raise the quality of the league.. but it still not as competitive as the Australian NBL, who not also got players coming back from the New Zealand NBL but also coming back from Europe and those upcoming stars from the United States' colleges and development leagues...

Ain’t we lucky

hehehe yes we are

This rivalry is definitely intense. Whenever an Australian team looses to any Kiwi (New Zealand) team of any sporting code, those blokes or sheilas (guys or girls in Australian English) are put to shame! It is okay for us Aussies to loose to the South Africans but NEVER to the Kiwis! Thus, in 2001 FIBA Oceania series when the Aussies lost to the Tall Blacks for the very first time, the coach (Phil Smyth) was fired immediately. However, if there were an Aussie, a Kiwi and a group of Yanks or Poms in a pub (bar) you’d bet that the Aussie and Kiwi would be more than happy to watch each other’s back. It’s a love-hate relationship.

Well said bro... agree to that... love-hate relationship between the two really helps improve and maintain the Trans-Tasman rivalry...

IMO, New Zealand's best rugby coach is currently Australia's head coach... some people here in Canterbury are actually supporting the Aussies (usually support the Wallabies in the first test but after that they return to support the All Blacks for the next two tests) simply because of Robbie Deans...

 

[Saskibaloia2]

IMO, New Zealand's best rugby coach is currently Australia's head coach... some people here in Canterbury are actually supporting the Aussies (usually support the Wallabies in the first test but after that they return to support the All Blacks for the next two tests) simply because of Robbie Deans...

Robbie Deans is a legend!!!

Let's start up a rugby thread

GO PHILIPPINE VOLCANOES!!!

www.prfu.com

 

[donmar2]

Robbie Deans is a legend!!!

Let's start up a rugby thread

GO PHILIPPINE VOLCANOES!!!

www.prfu.com

hehehe I think we should... I assume you know Erick Elefante... he is one of PRFU's leading recruiters of players from Australia and New Zealand... he is based in Australia too..

 

[kerdito2]

I wish Patrick Mills would play in the 2 game series this guy is really superb!!!!

 

[Saskibaloia2]

hehehe I think we should... I assume you know Erick Elefante... he is one of PRFU's leading recruiters of players from Australia and New Zealand... he is based in Australia too..

He's probably the bloke trying to get my mate to switch from semi-pro rugby league over to play rugby union for the Philippines

My mate's actually really considering it because the beauty of playing for one's own country and to be able to travel the region to play sport. AIN'T THAT GOLD!!!!

 

[donmar2]

He's probably the bloke trying to get my mate to switch from semi-pro rugby league over to play rugby union for the Philippines

My mate's actually really considering it because the beauty of playing for one's own country and to be able to travel the region to play sport. AIN'T THAT GOLD!!!!

Yeah thats him... about 3/4 of the players of the national team are recruited by him... he's a good guy and constantly looking for Filipinos or half-breeds playing rugby to recruit... and so far, he's doing an excellent job...

I think your friend should consider it... but I don't think its a professional but rather just play for flag and country.. so I guess, he can still play rugby league in the semi-pro circuit while playing union internationally... its should be easy to adjust...

BTW, I got three high school friends who are currently playing in Australia in the semi-pro rugby league circuit at the moment.. they're waiting for a breakthrough to enter and join NRL...

 

[Saskibaloia2]

BTW, I got three high school friends who are currently playing in Australia in the semi-pro rugby league circuit at the moment.. they're waiting for a breakthrough to enter and join NRL...

I'm sure they'll eventually break in. The NRL used to have an immense pool of talent to choose from however, rugby union have been tapping into the pool heavily especially with their marketing tool that rugby union has greater international exposure (which is true) and that the game is growing overseas and in Oceania.

 

[Saskibaloia2]

Tall Blacks Squad

Tall Blacks Squad

NBL.com.au

Tall Blacks name team for Sunday clash with Boomers
Mon, 17 Aug 2009 3:08 PM

The inclusion of Harbour Heat NZNBL forward BJ Anthony is the only change to the New Zealand Tall Blacks team ahead of next week’s FIBA Oceania Championship against the Australian Boomers.

Anthony, the son of former NZNBL legend Benny Anthony, will become the fifth rookie to pull on a Tall Blacks uniform in 2009.

The 21-year-old comes into third-year coach Nenad Vucinic’s team for the two-game Oceania series with Jeremiah Trueman unavailable from the Tall Blacks’ European tour.

Long-time Tall Blacks captain Pero Cameron and forward Craig Bradshaw were both ruled out of selection.

Cameron has been unable to recover sufficiently from a persistent ankle injury, while Bradshaw departed on Sunday for South Korea, where he has taken up a contract in the Korean Basketball League. Trueman heads to San Diego this week to be with his wife Mary for the birth of their first child.

“In terms of international experience, especially in leading roles, it’s a pretty young squad,” said Vucinic.

“Not having Pero or Craig is disappointing. We had a good tour of Europe without them and were happy with what we achieved. We competed well against some tough teams.

“BJ had a good trial and reports about his change in attitude around training have been positive and he deserves his chance . . . Jeremiah has decided that he needs to go back to the States for the birth of his first child and we respect that.”

Shooting guard Kirk Penney, who led the team in Cameron’s absence on the eight-game European sojourn, will take the captain’s ‘C’ again, joined by point guard Lindsay Tait and forwards Mika Vukona and Casey Frank in the experienced heart of the roster.

Combo guards Michael Fitchett and Corey Webster, and centre Alex Pledger also have at least two national team tours behind them.

Anthony joins Tom Abercrombie, Leon Henry, Jarrod Kenny and Junior Tall Black Rob Loe as 2009 rookies for the Tall Blacks team, which has an average age of 24.

“I’m just really excited to get back into the team and to go to work,” said Anthony, who played professionally in the German second division last northern hemisphere winter.

“Honestly, I thought my chance had gone this year. I was just getting ready to go back to Germany again and then come back and push harder next year. It’s great to get the chance this year and I’m looking forward to it.”

The Tall Blacks assemble in Wellington for a four-day camp before heading to Sydney, ahead of game one at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre at 6pm (Sydney time) on Sunday.

The team returns to New Zealand on Monday, with Game Two at TSB Bank Arena in Wellington on Tuesday, August 25 at 7.30pm.

Tickets to Game One of the FIBA Oceania series are now available through Ticketek.

New Zealand Tall Blacks

Tom Abercrombie, BJ Anthony, Michael Fitchett, Casey Frank, Leon Henry, Jarrod Kenny, Rob Loe, Kirk Penney (captain), Alex Pledger, Lindsay Tait, Mika Vukona, Corey Webster

Head coach: Nenad Vucinic
Assistant coach: Chris Tupu
Video technician: Dillon Boucher
Manager: Grant Chapman
Physio: Bryce Ebben

Tall Blacks Schedule
Tuesday, August 18
Team assembles for camp in Wellington

Friday, August 21
Team travels to Sydney

Sunday, August 23
FIBA Oceania Championship for Men, Game 1
vs Australia Boomers, 8pm (NZ time)
Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
Live on Sky Sport 1

Monday, August 24
Team travels to Wellington

Tuesday, August 25
FIBA Oceania Champion for Men, Game 2
vs Australia Boomers, 7.30pm
TSB Bank Arena, Wellington
Live on Sky Sport 2 (HD)

 

[donmar2]

I'm sure they'll eventually break in. The NRL used to have an immense pool of talent to choose from however, rugby union have been tapping into the pool heavily especially with their marketing tool that rugby union has greater international exposure (which is true) and that the game is growing overseas and in Oceania.

here in New Zealand, rugby league is quite popular in junior level... most of the rugby league players usually moves to Auckland or to Australia once they finish high school in order to get exposure... rugby doesn't have to since well its New Zealand... rugby league is still organizing... especially in the international side of the game... like the World Cup took them 8 years before they could have another one...

 

[jxuusa2]

You guys will probably hate me for this but...

For a region that has had only the same two teams competing since right before the 2000 Olympics (when Australia automatically qualified and and didn't partake in the 1999 championships, wasn't it Guam or someone that got the silver?) should't FIBA do something about it's number of bids? These two teams are guaranteed to get in regardless of who beats the other and giving them automatic entries into the world tournament is depriving another nation in the world who may be more deserving and better than Australia or NZ. Sure there is a rivalry between the Aussies and Kiwis but in the end it boils down only to those who care within these two countries and it adversely affects the overall selection of teams that get into the World Championships. A region with two teams competiting gets two guaranteed bids while a region such as Asia gets only 3 bids, or America 4 bids with many many more teams competiting.

Also shouldn't this be a 3-game series if there is going to be little series played at all considering if each team won 1 game in the two game series and the point differentials were the same, how would they determine the seedings for the Turkey then? Btw shame Brook Ruscoe didn't get on the Senior NZ team, kid has talent.

 

[Saskibaloia2]

You guys will probably hate me for this but...

For a region that has had only the same two teams competing since right before the 2000 Olympics (when Australia automatically qualified and and didn't partake in the 1999 championships, wasn't it Guam or someone that got the silver?) should't FIBA do something about it's number of bids? These two teams are guaranteed to get in regardless of who beats the other and giving them automatic entries into the world tournament is depriving another nation in the world who may be more deserving and better than Australia or NZ. Sure there is a rivalry between the Aussies and Kiwis but in the end it boils down only to those who care within these two countries and it adversely affects the overall selection of teams that get into the World Championships. A region with two teams competiting gets two guaranteed bids while a region such as Asia gets only 3 bids, or America 4 bids with many many more teams competiting.

Also shouldn't this be a 3-game series if there is going to be little series played at all considering if each team won 1 game in the two game series and the point differentials were the same, how would they determine the seedings for the Turkey then? Btw shame Brook Ruscoe didn't get on the Senior NZ team, kid has talent.

I can definitely see where you're coming from. When FIBA Oceania received 2 automatic bids after the Tall Blacks' 2002 4th place finish in the 2002 World Championships, I was quite surprised however, FIBA felt that due to the excellent performance of the Tall Blacks both Australia and it's neighbour deserved to be in the World Championships.

In my opinion, only one should have the automatic spot while the other plays against the 3rd place in Asia for a spot.

 

[donmar2]

You guys will probably hate me for this but...

For a region that has had only the same two teams competing since right before the 2000 Olympics (when Australia automatically qualified and and didn't partake in the 1999 championships, wasn't it Guam or someone that got the silver?) should't FIBA do something about it's number of bids? These two teams are guaranteed to get in regardless of who beats the other and giving them automatic entries into the world tournament is depriving another nation in the world who may be more deserving and better than Australia or NZ. Sure there is a rivalry between the Aussies and Kiwis but in the end it boils down only to those who care within these two countries and it adversely affects the overall selection of teams that get into the World Championships. A region with two teams competiting gets two guaranteed bids while a region such as Asia gets only 3 bids, or America 4 bids with many many more teams competiting.

Also shouldn't this be a 3-game series if there is going to be little series played at all considering if each team won 1 game in the two game series and the point differentials were the same, how would they determine the seedings for the Turkey then? Btw shame Brook Ruscoe didn't get on the Senior NZ team, kid has talent.

Don't worry.. we won't hate you... actually a lot of people keep bringing the same thing and a lot of people even recommend to merge FIBA Oceania with FIBA Asia in order to increase the number of spots for the Asian region in the World Championship and the Olympics... but what I see, Australia will dominate the competition with New Zealand and Yao Ming-led China battling for second... so if the two zones combine that would bring to five automatic entries... so basically, the last two spots are up for grabs... so nothing change other than the numbers of top team to beat..

It supposed to be 3-game series but I'm guessing because of economic recession and yeah, both already qualified... plus, Australia's basketball federation has management problem, at the moment, concerning the Australian NBL...

But the merger of two zones might happen sooner than we think... the current FIBA President is an Australian and advocated for the merger of the two zones at the time when he run for the current position he occupies... buut it seems he ain't doing anything at the moment...

Yeah its a shame Ruscoe can't join... I already counted out New Zealand in this tourney, I think Australia will sweep this one eventhough NZ has the ANBL MVP (but since his Breakers coach was OZ's assistant coach.. I got a feeling they can shutdown Kirk Penney)... I usually supports the Tall Blacks but I like both teams since I'm quite familiar of some of their players... I'm hoping for a three-point battle between Oscar Forman and Kirk Penney....